The invention relates to a novel immunostimulant drug having as active ingredients polar glycopeptidolipids (pGPL) of Mycobacterium chelonae.
It is known that pGPL, present in the cell wall of atypical Mycobacteria, have high species-specificity.
Glycopeptidolipids (GPL) are compounds which combine fatty acids, peptides, and sugars.
Extensive studies of GPL have been carried out with the aim of classifying and identifying Mycobacteria.
Investigators have shown a decrease in the proliferative response induced by nonspecific mitogens, in splenocytes of mice treated with Mycobacterium avium pGPL (see Brownback and Barrow, Infection and Immunity, 56, 1044-1050 (1988)). The same investigators showed a decrease in the proliferative response of these cells when the cells are co-stimulated in vitro with the aforesaid pGPL and mitogens.
Immunostimulant properties of living M. chelonae on the immunocompetent cells have been demonstrated (see Biozzi et al., Rev. Franc. Etudes Clin. Biol., 5, 867-890 (1960); Pilet and Goret, J. Reticuloendoth Soc., 3, 305-309 (1966); al., Comp. Immunol. Infect. Dis., 12, 63-70 (1989)).